The Lawson Foundation is sharing “Taking Relationships into Account: Social Network Analysis of the Outdoor Play Strategy 2.0” by Taylor Newberry Consulting.
This companion report to the OPS 2.0 Final Evaluation Report explores how relationships, collaboration, and network structures shaped the impact of seven outdoor play projects across Canada.
Using Social Network Analysis, this report maps and analyzes networks created by 697 individuals from government, Early Learning and Child Care settings, post-secondary institutions, non-profits, and other sectors to uncover how specific relationship patterns, such as strong internal partnerships, cross-sectoral collaboration, and the presence of “network brokers”, influenced each project’s ability to build adult capacity, deepen organizational change, and contribute to systemic impact.
Findings highlight that relational strategies were central to success. Projects with strong, long-standing local networks made quick progress in changing practice and organizational culture. Those working across sectors and regions needed to invest time in building new relationships, but laid important groundwork for policy development, system alignment, and future collaboration.
The report underscores the influence of practitioners, not just senior leaders, as key connectors and drivers of system change. These insights affirm that when advancing outdoor play initiatives, relationships are not just context — they are core infrastructure for impact.
Christine Alden